ABSTRACT
Community forestry, whether in the global South or North, is often associated with images of small-scale management and artisanal approaches to harvesting and product transformation. This case study examines the experience of Indigenous Peoples of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) in Saskatchewan, Canada, who have been engaged in large-scale forest management and industrial wood production since 1988. Using a Community Forestry framework of four key characteristics– participatory governance, rights, local benefits, and ecological stewardship – we have expanded this by suggesting the importance of a fifth possibility – relationships. These relationships are underpinned by governance structures that manage for multiple environmental, cultural, and economic goals and allow MLTC to reconcile those inherent tensions and trade-offs while also meeting their responsibilities towards the land, their people, and other community members. We examine how the Meadow Lake approach to large-scale industrial forestry enhances sustainable livelihoods for the Indigenous communities while also asserting their rights to their traditional lands.
